Metal-planer.



A. W. WHITGOMB.

METAL PLANER.

APPLICATION FILED r3347, 1913.

1,193,457., Patented July 14,1914.

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A. W. WHITGOMB.

METAL PLANER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 27, 1913.

Patented July 14, 191i 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. W. WHITGOMB.

METAL PLANER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1913.

1 1 03,457. Patented July 14, 1914.

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' METAL-PLANER.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed February 27, 1913. Serial No. 751,031.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo W. WHrrcoMB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Planers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the construction of electrically controlled means for stopping the feeding of a planer-tool either transversely or vertically or both, as hereinafter set forth, and illustrated in the drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a planer embodying my, improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation on a somewhat largerscale than Fig. 1 of the planer head and cross rail. Fig. 3 is a side section about halfsize, of the said head and cross rail. Fig. 4 is a detail view of parts of the same,'showingpart of the contact rod and connections. Fig. 5 is a cross section of said rod showing its adjustable contact and coacting devices. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the cross rail showing mainly in diagram the electric connections of the stopping device. Fig.

7 is a longitudinal sectlon, about half-size,

of the electrically controlled unclutching means. Fig. 8 is a cross section of the same on the line mw in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the electroinagnet and connected elements cont-rolling the unclutching means. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the same.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates the planer bed, 2 the reciprocating table, 3 the uprights, 4 the cross rail and 5 the tool holding head. The said head is vertically moved through power received from the shaft/6 in a customary way (Fig. 2), the head being slidable on the shoe 7 which is horizontally slidable on the cross rail. Said shoe is fed by means of the cross feed screw 9,and power is communicated at will to the shaftor vertical feed rod 6, or to the feed screw 9, by slipping the gear 10 (Fig. 1) off from the end of one shaft and onto the end of the Other, in each case said gear being put into mesh with the gear 11. The last-named gear is rotatively oscillated by means of a rack 12 (Fig. 1) reciprocated by the pitman 13, and said rack meshing with a gear 14 (Fig. 7) connected with said gear 11; said gear 10 being provided with suitable mechanism for converting the oscillatory movements of said rack, and gears into an intermittent mot-ion in one direction communicated to the shaft 6 or to the feed screw 9.

As thus far described, the machine does not difier from other Whitcomb planers now upon the market and in use for many years. Hence a more extended description. and fuller illustration of the same is unnecessary, inasmuch as the novel features of the invention have to do with the electrical stopping devices alone.

Referring, now, to Fig. 7, it will be seen that said gear 14 is fixed upon the spindle .15 loosely carried in the hollow spindle 16 to the end of which is fixed said gear 11. Said gear 14 and the adjacent end of the hollow spindle 16 being provided with suitable clutching means, as the pins and holes 17, 19, the two gears can be turned rigidly together, or made independent of each other, by a slight relative longitudinal movement. For retaining the same in clutch, the hollow spindle is formed with a shoulder 20 rigidly carrying a latch 21 havinga spur 22, which is adapted to be engaged andheld by a de tent 23, the latter being attached to the piV- oted armature 24. So long as said armature is in its elevated position and engaging said latch, as shown in Fig. 9, said gears will be retained in clutch, but the instant the armature is depressed and the helical spring 25 permitted to act, said gears are unclutched. I prefer to locate said spring or springs in a sleeve 26 whose opposite end bears against the gear 14, 27 which enters each hole 29 carrying a spring 25. The end of the spindle 15 is formed with a rounded projection 30 which, coming in contact with a plane surface 31 of the post or upright 3 behind the rack 12 (Figs. 6 and 7), retains the gear 14 in place. Said armature 24 is pivoted at 33 to the electromagnets case 34, through lateral flanges 35 (Fig. 8), and is pressed upward by a plunger 36 movable in the hollow core 37 and by'a helical spring 39 beneath said plunger, (F ig. 9). One terminal of the magnet windings'40 is grounded with said case and hence with the framework of the planer, as at 41, while the other terminal is connected with the spring contact 42 (Figs. 8, 9) which is otherwise insulated from other parts by the block of insulation 43. Also fixed to said block is a second spring conthe shoulder 20 having a pin tact 44 (Figs. 7, 8) normally out of contact with the first spring, but wired to a source of electric current, as the battery 45 p0si-' the machine parts, as by the insulation thimbles 52 surrounding the ends of the rod in the brackets 53 (Fig. 4) said electromagnet 40 will not be energized until means are provided for electrically connecting said rod and cross rail, at the same time that the spring. contacts 44 and 47 are being held in electric communication with each other. As

shown in Figs. 7 and 9, such communication is'caused by the latch'21 which, when the gears 11 and 1 4 are in clutch, terminally engages the insulating button 49 on the nearer spring and presses the latter against the second spring (Fig. 9).

Now, when the rod 50 and cross rail 4 are put into electrical communication, the'electromagnet is energized, the armature is drawn dowm the latch released and the gears unclutched. There are two different periods when such communication is desired. The first is the instant when the head 5 has been fed horizontally along the cross rail to the predetermined point where its tool is to release the work, and the second is the moment when the; vertical feeding of the head is to be stopped.- For the first period, I provide 7 the rod '50 with one or more collars adapted to be held at any pointof the former by a set-screw 56*, preferably entering a longitudinal groove or spline 57 in said rod, order to prevent the collar from turning on the same. Within the upper surface of the shoe 7 (Fig. 4) is a pin ,59 pressed upward by a spring 60 and adapted to contact with the collar 55 when, by the: travel of said shoe7, said pin reaches the collar"; the end of the pin being rounded and normally held at a height to contact with the collar and to be depressed to permit the pin to pass on beneath the former. Uponv the contact of said pin and collar, electric communication between the rod 50 and cross rail 4 is-created, the circuit to the electromagnet is closed, and. the longitudinal feeding efthe head on said rail is terminat'ed. r I

For terminating the vertical feeding of i the head 5, the feed rod 6 (Fig; *3) slidably carries a bevel gear 61 meshing with a bevel gear 62 on the short shaft 63 connected by suitable bevel gears with the feed screw at whose upper end is the crank handle 64. Inasmuch as this is a usual construction of planers, it is unnecessary to illustrate all of said parts, but said short shaft 63is shown tice, however, said from the spring contact 44 into and through inorder to make clear the construction and operation of the means for-terminating the Vertical feeding. on said short shaft 63 is a helical gear 65 meshing with a helical gear 66 mounted on the vertical spindle 67,

i by means of which the latter is slowly rotated. At the upper end of said spindle and looked upon its shoulder 70 by a thumb nut 71, is a disk 72 provided with a radial contact pin 73. Beneath said disk and fastened to the shoe 7 is an insulating block 74 carrymg a pin 7 5 resiliently pressed; upward by a leaf spring -76 whoseopposite terminal is pressed upward against the surface .of therodtO. When, by the slow rotation of the spindle 67, said pins are broughtinto touch,

the circuit is closed between said rod and spindle, and cross rail, and the/clutchcontrolling electromagnet 40 is energized, and the clutching devices I released in the same manner as previously described. The periphery of the disk 72 may be graduated for indicating the distance to which the shoe must travel before the pinswill come into contact.

The stop collar'55 is as shown in Figs. 3, 4 leave the under partially cut away, and 5,.in order to surface of the rod 50 unobstructed,'so that the'spring contact 76 may slide freely from one endlto the other of said rod. 7

As shown in Fig. 4, the brackets 53 are made hollow or tubular in order to permit the insulated Wire 47 to have a protected passageway through said brackets and the rod 50' from one extremity of the cross rail to the other, For the sake of clearness'in illustration in Fig. 6, said brackets are not shown, but the wire 47 is represented as passing through said rod alone, and extending out around the gear 11. In actual pracwlre passes directly up the bracket 53 above the same, thence through the rod 50 and other bracket 53.

What I claim as my invention and for which I desire Letters Patent is as follows, to wit 1. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a head movable thereon, and electrically tion between said stop and one pole of said source, a clutch, an electromagnet controlling said clutch, connection between said electromagnet and the other pole of said source,and connection between said electromagnet and said head;

2. A. metal planer comprising a'crosscrail, a head movable thereon, and. electrically con-- trolled means for terminating said mover:

ments at predetermined periods, said means embracing a stop adjustablyconnected with said cross rail, a contact moving with said head, a clutch, an electromagnet controlling said clutch, a source of current, and connections between said stop, contact, electromagnet and current-source, whereby engagement of said stop and contact causes the delivery of current to said electromagnet.

3. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a head movable thereon, and electrically controlled means for terminating said movements at predetermined periods, said means embracing a rod terminally supported by said rail parallel therewith and near said head but insulated from said parts, a stop adjustably held by said rod, a contact moving with said head and in circuit therewith, a source of current, connection between said rod and one pole of said source, a contact connected with the other pole of said source, a contact normally out of touch with the last-named contact, means for automatically putting the last-named contacts into touch with each other, and an electromagnet having one terminal grounded with the planer and the other terminal connected with the last-named terminal.

4:. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a shoe longitudinally movable on the same, a head on said shoe, and electrically controlled means for terminating such movements at predetermined periods, said means embracing a tubular rod, a bracket supporting each end of the latter and held by said cross rail, a stop adjustably held by said rod, a contact moving with said head, a source of current and circuit wires, one of which wires passes through said rod but is insulated therefrom.

5. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a shoe longitudinally movable on said rail, a head on said shoe, and electrically controlled means for terminating such movements at predetermined periods, said means embracing a tubular rod, a hollow bracket supporting each end of the latter and held by the cross rail, a stop adjustably held by said rod, a contact pin yieldingly carried by said shoe to meet said stop, a source of current, and circuit wires, one of which passes through said rod and brackets.

6. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a head carried thereby, a member adapted to receive power, a member for communicating motion to said head and having a clutch connection with the first-named member, resilient means for unclutching the same, a longitudinally movable latch for holding said members in clutch, an armature for locking said latch in said clutching position, an electromagnet controlling said armature, a source of current and connections between the latter and said electromagnet adapted to be closed when said head reaches a predetermined point.

7. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a head longitudinally movable thereon, a member receiving power, a member for communicating motion to said head and having a clutch connection with the first-named member, resilient means for unclutching the same, a longitudinally movable latch for holding said members in clutch, an armature for locking said latch in said clutching position, an electromagnet controlling said armature, a pair of contacts normally out of touch with each other but adapted to be engaged by said latchs clutching movement, connection between one of said contacts and one terminal of said electromagnet, a source of current, connection between the other terminal of said electromagnet and one pole of said source, and connection between the other of said contacts and the other pole of said source, the connections being adapted to be closed by the movement of said head.

8. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, a head longitudinally movable thereon, and electrically controlled means for terminating the movements of said head, said means embracing a power clutching means resiliently unclutched, a latch having a spur for said clutching means, a pivoted armature having a detent for engaging said spur, an electromagnet controlling said armature and having a hollow core, a longitudinally movable pin in said hollow core and a helical spring acting to press said detent into engagement with said spur.

9. A metal planer comprising a cross rail, uprights carrying the same, a head movable on said cross rail, a vertically reciprocating rack, a gear meshing with the latter and having a spindle, a hollow spindle containing the first-named spindle, a gear on the hollow spindle operatively connected with said head, said hollow spindle having a clutch connection with the first-named gear, a sleeve terminally bearing against the firstnamed gear, resilient means acting to press the second-named gear from the first-named gear and disengage said clutch connection, a latch connected with said hollow spindle, and an electromagnetically controlled detent adapted to engage said latch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto set my hand this,

17th day of February, 1913.

ALONZO W. WHITOOMB.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. MIRICK, HELEN Ross.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

